Accelerator mechanism



July 18, 1939. F. J. HANSEN ACCELERATOR MECHANISM Filed July 27, 1957 7766/? INVENTOR I TIIIIIIII/l I ,IE' UMEEEIIIIHHEH ,nnnnln Patented July 18, 1939 PATENT OFFICE ACCELERATOR MECHANISM Frank J. Hansen, Cheyenne, Wyo., assignor of one-half to James C. Valentine, Sioux City,

Iowa

Application July 27, 1937, Serial No. 155,971

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an accelerator mechanism to be employed witha throttle valve control means forming the subject matter of my copending application filed June 15, 1936 and 5 Serial No. 85,367, now Patent No. 2,136,295, of Nov. 8, 1938, and has for the primary object the provision of a mechanism of this character which after the adjustment of the throttle valve control means to permit running or operatingof an engine at variable speeds from idling speed to a selected or predetermined speed will permit a temporary increase or full speed of operation of said engine to meet emergencies or similar requirements over the selected speed and which will automatically decrease the engine speed from its maximum speed to the selected speed within a predetermined period of time.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a motor vehicle engine equipped with an accelerator mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same connected with the throttle valve control means.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a dash pot. a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the throttle valve control means.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-'-4 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral l indicates an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, 2 the carbureter and 3 the throttle valve of said carbureter. The throttle valve is provided with an arm 4 to which my invention is connected.

The throttle valve control means heretofore referred to is indicated in entirety by the character 5 and is mounted on the instrument board of the motor vehicle in convenient reach of the operator and consists of a cylinder 38 in which a stem 42 extends and the latter has secured to its outer end a finger piece 43 and to its inner end a disc-like member 44. A clutch operating piston-like member 45 is secured on the stem 42 and is of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the cylinder 38. Located in the cylinder is a head 45 consisting of sections 41 and 48 providing therebetween a limited slide space 49 in which is received the disclike member 44 of the stem. The space 49 permits the stem to have a limited movement with respect to the head 46. Clamped between the sections of the head 46 is a clutch plate 50, the 5 periphery of which has peripheral contact with the internal walls of the cylinder. The clutch plate is slotted inwardly from its periphery, as shown in Figure 4, and is also dished, the purpose of which is to dispose the clutch plate at 10 a slight inclination when mounted on the head. The section 41 of the head has a flexible element 33 connected thereto and extends through a flexible tube 34, one end of which is connected onto the cylinder. The clutch plate will permit 15 the stem 42 to slide freely to the left in Figure 3. A movement of the head 43 in an opposite direction is prevented by the clutch plate biting against the internal walls of the cylinder. The throttle valve control means heretofore briefly 20 described forms the subject matter of the copending application herein referred to and is merely set forth in the present application to show its use in conjunction with the present invention. 25

Any of the other forms of throttle valve control means set forth in the copending application may be used in conjunction with the present invention.

A supporting bracket 53 is located adjacent 30 the carbureter 2 and pivotally supports a bell crank lever 54, one end of which is connected to an accelerator pedal 55 through links and levers indicated generally by the character 56. The other end of the bell crank lever 54 is piv- 35 otally connected to a dash pot mechanism 53 and the latter is connected to the arm 5 of the control valve 3. A coil spring 54' is connected to one of the rods employed for connecting the bell crank lever 54 to the accelerator pedal and 40 acts to urge the throttle valve into a substantially closed position for obtaining idling speed of the engine. A stop 52 is adjustably mounted on the bracket 53 and has the flexible element 33 connected thereto. The stop 52 may be ad- 45 justed along said bracket 53 for limiting the pivotal movement of the bell crank lever 54 in one direction or in a direction to open the control valve 3. The dash pot mechanism 56 consists of a cylinder 58 in whichoperates the piston 50 59 of the cuptype defining between itself and one end of the cylinder an air chamber 60. A pipe Si is connected with the chamber 60 and is threaded into a head 52 having a vent opening 83 and a valve seat 64. The valve seat 64 55 communicates with the ventopening ll and also with the pipe OI. One end of the pipe is shaped to conform to the valve seat M. The head '2 is adjustably connected on a rod 08 which is pivoted on the arm ii. The stemof the piston 59 is indicated by the character I! and extends exteriorly of the cylinder. A head 68 carried by the cylinder slidably supports the stem 81 and is provided with vent openings 69. 61 is further slidably supported by a web 10 slidably mounted in the cylinder. The web is fixed to move with the stem and has connected thereto one end of a coil spring H, the other end of the spring being secured to the head 68. The spring H is weaker than the spring 54'. The stem 61 is connected to a turn buckle 12 and the latter is connected to a rod II which is pivoted on one end or the bell crank lever 54. By adjusting the head 62 in the pipe 6| the flow of air into and out of the air chamber 80 may be regulated.

In operation, the operator or driver after setting the stop 52 by the throttle valve control means for the selected speed may increase the speed of the engine over said selected speed for a temporary period of,time by taking the foot off of the accelerator pedal 55, permitting the spring 54' to return the valve l2 to idling speed and then again pressing the accelerator pedal 55, which through the dash pot mechanism will move the valve 3 to its maximum open position. This is accomplished by the air being partially trapped between the piston 59 and one end of the .cylinder within said air chamber ill to temporarily increase the throw from the accelerator pedal to the throttle valve II. The escape of the air from the chamber 60 is gradual by way of the vent opening 63. As the air escapes from the chamber 60 the spring H moves the cylinder 58 to the left in Figure 2 until the inner end of the pipe 6| abuts the piston 59. This movement of the cylinder 58 relative to the piston draws the valve l2 towards a closed position reducing the speed of the engine to the selected speed set by the throttle valve control means 5. Thus it will be seen that the maximum speed of the engine is automatically decreased to a selected speed within a predetermined length of time.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with the throttle valve of The stem an engine, a manually actuated control, an operating connection between the manually actuated control and the throttle valve, means cooperabie on said operating connection for limiting the opening travel of the throttle valve, and means interposed in said operating connection and actuated by the same for temporarily-opening the throttlevalve beyond the limits of said means.

2. In combination with the throttle valve of an engine, a manually actuated control, an operating connection between the manually actuated control throttle valve, means cooperable on said operating connection for limiting the opening travel of the throttle valve, and means interposed in said operating connection and actuated by the same for temporarily opening the throttle valve beyond the limits of said means, said second means comprising an air trap having a restricted air bleed to the atmosphere.

3. In combination with the throttle valve of an internal combustion engine, an accelerator pedal, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a fixed support, an operating connection between one end of the bell crank and the accelerator pedal, an operating connection between the other end of the bell crank and the throttle valve, an adjustable stop arranged in the path of the bell crank for limiting the pivotal action thereof, to stop the throttle valve in a predetermined open position, and means interposed in said second operating connection operated through adjustment of the bell crank for temporarily opening the throttle valve beyond the limits of said stop.

4. In combination with the throttle valve of an internal combustion engine, an accelerator pedal, a bell crank pivotally mounted on a fixed support, an operating connection between one end of the bell crank and the accelerator pedal, an operating connection between the other end of the bell crank and the throttle valve, an adjustable stop arranged in the path of the bell crank for limiting the pivotal action thereof, to stop the throttle valve in a predetermined open position, and means interposed in said second operating connection operated through ad,- justment of the bell crank for temporarily opening the throttle valve beyond the limits of said stop, said means comprising an air trap having a restricted air bleed to the atmosphere.

FRANK J. HANSEN. 

